1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a tester for testing the correct operation of a mobile phone and to a method testing the correct operation.
2. Description of Relevant Art
Mobile phones, also referred to herein as cellular phones, smart phones or more generally mobile communication devices and the like are subjected to an extensive test of preferably all functions and buttons by so-called ‘mobile phone testing apparatus’(referred to as ‘testers’ for short) after completion of the mobile phone's manufacture and before delivery to the clients. These testers typically have a housing with a phone holder as support for the mobile phone to be tested. The phone holder is particularly adapted to the respective model of mobile phone to be tested. Each time the model to be tested is changed, at least the phone holder has to be replaced by a new one being again particularly adapted to the new model.
EP 1 739 998 B1 discloses a tester for testing mobile phones. The tester has a phone holder as support for a mobile phone with a cavity being a negative mold of the mobile phone and being adapted to receive a certain type or model of mobile phone with the mobile phone's display facing upwards. The phone holder is replaceable to thereby adapt the tester to different types of mobile phones. A camera images the display and thus enables to detect defects.
KR 20060085509 discloses a phone holder for a mobile phone tester. The mobile phone is connected via an electrical connector to a computer for performing the tests. The phone holder has a base plate supporting a replaceable adapter for the mobile phone to be tested. The adapter is particularly adapted to the mobile phone which is to be tested. Additionally the base plate supports a height adjustable electrical connector for connecting the mobile phone to a controlling unit of the tester. The height adjustment significantly reduces the costs for the adapter, as the electrical connector is no longer part of the adapter.
US 2012/286815 A1 discloses a phone holder for a mobile phone testing apparatus with a receiving moldboard for the mobile phone. The receiving moldboard is mounted to on top of an inspection panel and has a receptacle being particularly adapted to the type shape of a particular type of mobile phone, therefore the moldboard is product specific part. After insertion of the mobile phone into the moldboard the mobile phone is secured by two clamping blocks. The clamping blocks are elastically supported in the vertical direction to thereby exert a downward force on the upper rim of the mobile phone and thus secure the mobile phone in the moldboard. The clamping blocks each have a recess being particularly adapted to receive the upper rim the mobile phone. Thus the rim of the secured mobile phone engages into said recesses. To release the mobile phone, the clamping blocks are lifted off and subsequently they can be pivoted around a vertical axis. Next, the mobile phone can be removed from the moldboard.
WO 2011/031904 discloses a test adapter configuration for mobile phones and the like. The test adapter comprises a common part and product specific part. The common part supports the product specific part, which is detachably mounted to the common part. The product specific part is particularly adapted to the mobile phone to be tested and so to speak an adapter to mechanically support a particular type of mobile phone and to position the corresponding probes, sensors, plugs and actuators relative to the mobile phone, which are required when testing a particular type of mobile phone.
There exists a vast variety of prior art relating to particular test routines, e.g. US 2012 0327796 A, CN 20256547 U, US 2012 212492 A, CN 102314386A to name only a few.